Hurry Up, and Wait

"Well, it's one of those things 

where you hurry up and wait for shit to happen."

"Well, it's one of those things where you hurry up and wait for shit to happen."  A very good friend sent this to me in a message.  It had to do with waiting for results to come back.  For me, it brought back memories of military service.  I learned early on that one reason we hurry up to wait is so we have a chance to second guess ourselves.  If you weren't part of making certain everything was as good as it gets, then you were grabbing some chow or getting some rest, both of which weren't a certainty down range.

I remember one time in Washington state, middle of the night, dead of winter, snow was starting to fall along with the temperature.  As a master sergeant, I didn't have to be cold.  I could stay where it was warm, but that wasn't my style.  All of the Intelligence division's classified material for the ongoing exercise was strapped to a pallet and sitting on the runway waiting for loading onto an aircraft, which may or may not happen.  Because it was highly classified material, Intelligence had to guard it.  I backed my pickup truck, with a windowed topper, to where I could climb in back, out of the weather, and keep an eye on things.  I'd brought with me a thermos of coffee, flashlight, sleeping bag, blanket, and a walkie-talkie.  It was damned cold.

A couple of hours into my watch, two security policemen wandered over to the pallet of material.  They looked around, then one of them took out his walkie-talkie and called in.  A minute went by before I got a call on mine wanting to know where I was because two security guys were at our pallet and I was nowhere to be seen.  I yelled out to the two policemen that if they were any closer, to me or my material, they'd already be dead.  Situation resolved.  Back to "hurry up and wait."  I supposed this was why they changed the name of "Security Police" to "Law Enforcement."  Security?  Not so much.  I'd feel more secure if the Army or Marines were walking picket.

"Hurry up and wait" is a humorous phrase used to refer to the situation in which one is forced to hurry in order to complete a certain task, or arrive at a certain destination, by a specified time; only for nothing to happen at that time, often because other required tasks are still awaiting completion.

-- Wikipedia

"Hurry up and wait" is an exercise in patience.  It can be hell if what you're waiting for means a change in life, and not in a good way.  Waiting to hear if you've lost your job, or your life, if your test results are positive or not; if you failed your exam or excelled.  Maybe you're waiting on an aircraft to take you downrange, to fight a battle; counting your ammunition, cleaning your weapon, getting some chow and some sleep.  Going over the battle plan and failing to see how the "enhanced" rules of engagement guarantee any good outcome for your unit.   You hope for the best while planning for the worst.  But, someone is supposed to be planning for the best, aren't they?

"And the reality is: That the way you deal with Islamic State - these blood-thirsty, blood-drunken terrorists - is to kill them, keep on killing them until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat! That's how you deal with them."

-- Ralph Peters, Lt Col, US Army, Ret.

"Hurry up and wait" is an exercise in deterrence.  It's planning nuclear annihilation as a means to give your enemy a moment of pause.  A reality check of possible consequences.  Does your enemy dare test your resolve?  And, if they do, do you take the moral high ground, instead?  Just because you can do something doesn't mean you must?  General Ralph Peters said the way to deal with ISIS "is to kill them, keep on killing them until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat!"  As much as I agree with his sentiment, killing the "pet goat," especially if your enemy isn't there to be horrified is simply bloodthirsty.  It crosses the moral line of military necessity.  Better to kill the pet goat immediately, as a message for your enemy to cease and desist.  Wait and see if they understand the message.  If terrorism continues, they are testing your resolve to escalate.  Immediately kill them all, with extreme prejudice, and then wait for the other shoe to drop - in the court of public opinion.  Hurry up, and wait.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.